An interesting information

[nikolayalexandroff]

The Economist, December 22nd 2007
The Bible v the Koran: The battle of the books. (p.60):
" Americans buy more than 20 m new Bibles every year to add to the four that the average American has at home. Yet the state of American biblical knowledge is abysmal. A Gallup survey found that less than half of Americans can name the first book of the Bible (Genesis), only a third know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Billy Graham is popular answer) and a quarter do not know what is celebrated at Easter (the resurrection, the foundational event of Christianity). Sixty per cent cannot name half the ten commandments; 12% think Noah was married to Joan of Arc."

[ArnautDaniel]

Well most Americans haven't really been taught how to read.

I mean sure, most Americans are literate, but reading really consists of much more than being able to comprehend what the words that make up an individual sentence mean. It is something deeper and more consuming of time and energy.

If you don't know how to really read the Bible is simply boring, random and incomprehensible.

[seashale76]

Well most Americans haven't really been taught how to read.

I mean sure, most Americans are literate, but reading really consists of much more than being able to comprehend what the words that make up an individual sentence mean. It is something deeper and more consuming of time and energy.

If you don't know how to really read the Bible is simply boring, random and incomprehensible.

Yes, to be truly literate, one must be able to comprehend what they read. A person must get beyond the decoding process. I can decode Spanish, but that doesn't mean that I 'comprehend' it without my handy Spanish-English dictionary.

In this case though, it goes beyond reading at an average comprehension level. If people don't make an effort to even pick up the scriptures, then it's a moot discussion. Too many folks find that other things take precedence in their lives over reading scripture. People don't care to read the bible, so they obviously don't know what it is in it. People do what they want. If they want to actually be literate enough to be able to read the bible, an effort will be made. Barring that, they have the Church (and the bible exists on tape as well) to read and or explain it to those incapable.

Americans have so many bibles because they either were family heirlooms, they were given to them at their baptisms/sunday schools/insert life events here, or they buy one and claim they will read it just like they claim they will follow all of the rest of their New Year's resolutions (and I bet most probably have a guilt complex about it).

[fuerein]

nikolay,

You know, the sad thing is, and English teachers I have had have lamented this as well, the lack of Biblical knowledge isn't just a religious disaster its a literary disaster as well. Much of western literature written in the past, and even much of current western literature, presumes at least a general knowledge of Biblical stories and symbols in order to make complete sense. The loss of a complete understanding of Biblical stories is robbing people of much of the inherent symbolism common to the west. I knew my teachers wished more students knew Biblical symbolism/meanings/allegories just because they are so foundational.

[ArnautDaniel]

I'm sure most English teachers would be thrilled to teach the Bible as literature. I think they are just afraid that two types of students would make such a class almost unworkable at any level below college:

1. The committed believer - unable to take the text as a piece of literature and insistent that it must be read dogmatically

2. The committed unbeliever - again unable to take the text as a piece of literature and insistent that it must be ridiculed.

There's really no good way to get people to approach the Bible as a center-piece of Western civilization with this Scylla and Charybdis.

[Prawnik]

A man in the book trade tells me that something like 40% of Americans will never read another book once they leave school. And of course that does not mean that the remaining 60% are perusing Shakespeare or whatever.

I am doubtless wrong regarding the exact statistic, but I remember it was a striking percentage of people.

[Hoankan]

I gotta say, as an English teacher in Japan, I find I can actually teach the symbolism to my kids so much easier than I could in America. To my kids, it is all new and they marvel at the symbols. I've got some good students who I could really help learn to read the greats here and I hope to do that.

[Kolya]

A man in the book trade tells me that something like 40% of Americans will never read another book once they leave school. And of course that does not mean that the remaining 60% are perusing Shakespeare or whatever.

I am doubtless wrong regarding the exact statistic, but I remember it was a striking percentage of people.

Sadly this is a western woldwide trend. My son only reads his study books for his career. Will not even read 'Lord of the Rings'.:sigh:

Well most Americans haven't really been taught how to read.

I mean sure, most Americans are literate, but reading really consists of much more than being able to comprehend what the words that make up an individual sentence mean. It is something deeper and more consuming of time and energy.

If you don't know how to really read the Bible is simply boring, random and incomprehensible.

Well, that's why it's so great to be Orthodox. We have the whole bible in pictures on our church walls!;)

[Monica, child of God]

Well, that's why it's so great to be Orthodox. We have the whole bible in pictures on our church walls!;)

I was thinking something similar. Many modern iconoclasts argue that we don't need icons since nearly everyone can read the Bible since it can be easily printed. But obviously, there is still a place for icons in catechesis of the masses.

M.